Accessories

kitchen cravings: kitchenaid artisan stand mixer

Accessories

kitchen cravings: kitchenaid artisan stand mixer

This week, my obsession with the KitchenAid Artisan Mixer in Pistachio is stronger than ever. I've been coveting this beauty for a long time but I've always stopped myself from purchasing it because of a lack of counter space in my apartment (it NEEDS to be on display).

2 On a baking sheet, toss the mushrooms and squash with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and salt and pepper.

3 Arrange in a single layer and roast until tender, about 18 minutes.

4 While the vegetables roast, strip the stems from the kale leaves, then cut the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice the garlic. In a large pan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the kale and garlic and cook until the kale is wilted and bright green, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

5 Remove the roasted mushrooms and squash from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 400°F. Using a fork or spoon, mash the squash.

6 To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is foamy, sprinkle in the flour and whisk until the mixture is smooth and golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking continuously, until no lumps remain. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, stirring to combine; remove the pot from the heat.

7 Spread a thin layer of the béchamel sauce over the bottom of a 9" x 13" baking dish. Add a layer of the lasagna noodles, followed by a layer of squash and mushrooms, the kale, more sauce and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Repeat to make 2 more layers: noodles, vegetables, sauce and Parmesan. Top with a final layer of noodles and the remaining béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and the Gruyère.

8 Loosely cover the dish with foil, transfer to the oven and bake until the lasagna is bubbling, about 30 minutes.

9 Increase the oven temperature to 450°F.

10 Uncover the lasagna and continue baking until golden, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into pieces. Wrap with foil and store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat, microwave the lasagna or warm it, covered, in the oven at 350°F.

1 On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a long 2 1/2"-thick rope.

2 Place the rope on a large parchment paper-lined rimless baking sheet and bring the ends together to create a circle, pinching to seal and brushing with a bit of water to help the ends adhere if necessary.

3 Preheat the oven to 375°F.

4 Using sharp scissors, make cuts 1" apart around the edge of the dough, without cutting all the way through. Gently separate the slices, pulling them apart, one toward the outer side of the circle and the next toward the centre.

5 Cover the dough with a clean tea towel and let rise for 15 minutes.

6 Sprinkle the top lightly with flour. Bake until the rolls are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, about 25 minutes.

7 Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Prep & cook time: 1 1/2 hours

Makes: 1 batch

Festive spreads

1 In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients until well combined.

Gift Guides

10 delightful gift ideas for kids of all ages

Gift Guides

10 delightful gift ideas for kids of all ages

The children on your holiday shopping list are sure to love these unique and interactive gift ideas.

Shopping for kids can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially during the holidays. To keep the little ones on your holiday shopping list happy, we've rounded up some of our favourite fun and interactive gift ideas. Perfect for children of all ages, these items are sure to bring joy and excitement over the holidays.

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10 delightful gift ideas for kids of all ages

1 Colour Your Own Puzzle

Colouring books will always be a popular gift. This year, gift your little Picasso with a unique spin on the classic colouring book - a puzzle they can colour themselves! Colour Your Own Puzzle, Winners, $12.99.

By: Style at Home
Source: Winners

10 delightful gift ideas for kids of all ages

2 Interactive Toothbrush

A toothbrush that gets kids excited about brushing is a win-win for parents and children. Featuring an interactive app you can sync to your smart device and customizable stickers - what's not to love! Philips Sonicare for Kids, Walmart, $59.99.

By: Style at Home
Source: Philips

10 delightful gift ideas for kids of all ages

3 Design Your Own Marble Maze

Perfect for the creative kid on your shopping list. This DIY marble maze allows players to design their own experience, challenge opponents and even features a fun virtual reality viewer. Seedling Marble Maze, Indigo, $74.95.

By: Style at Home
Source: Indigo

10 delightful gift ideas for kids of all ages

4 Play Tent

When it's just too cold to play outside, this fun caravan-style tent is the perfect for letting creativity and imagination flourish indoors. HEMMAHOS Children's tent, IKEA, $39.99.

10 delightful gift ideas for kids of all ages

6 Cookie Cutter Set

This cookie cutter set is a great way to combine a young Jedi masters love for baking holiday treats and their obsession with all things Star Wars. Star Wars™ 8-Piece Cookie Cutter Set, Williams-Sonoma, $29.95.

By: Style at Home
Source: Williams-Sonoma

10 delightful gift ideas for kids of all ages

7 Festive Bath Robe

Wrap a cozy robe up with hot chocolate mix and a classic Christmas movie and you've got the perfect go-to holiday gift for any kid. Bath robe, Joe Fresh, $22.

By: Style at Home
Source: Joe Fresh

10 delightful gift ideas for kids of all ages

8 Tiggly Learner Kit

Kids will love this fun, interactive, and imaginative way to learn math, language and shapes. Designed for use with your tablet, each subject has its own games and interactive toys. Tiggly Learner Kit, Best Buy, $99.99.

By: Style at Home
Source: Best Buy

10 delightful gift ideas for kids of all ages

9 Board Game

Add a new addition to family game night with a classic like Scrabble. Fun for the whole family, this vintage edition comes in a stylish, linen-wrapped book. Scrabble Vintage Bookshelf Edition, Indigo, $49.95.

By: Style at Home
Source: Indigo

10 delightful gift ideas for kids of all ages

10 Festive stuffed toy

Build-A-Bear Workshop's newest reindeer collection means from start to finish your children can put their own unique spin on creating the seasonal stuffed toy of their dreams. Glisten, Twinkle and Tinsel Reindeer, Build-A-Bear Workshop, prices vary.

Organizing Ideas

99 low-cost organizing tips

Organizing Ideas

99 low-cost organizing tips

Getting and staying organized isn't easy. If you're struggling to conquer clutter once and for all, our simple 99 organizing tips should help get you started.

We know, we know: getting organized at home can be easier vowed than done. But even if you’re short on time (and budget), there are dozens of ways you can get your house in order. Here are 99 of our favourite low-cost organizing tips; many of them are environmentally friendly, too!

A stunning kitchen design that proves open display may require more organization, but it's so beautiful it's worth it!Author: Janis Nicolay

1 Use old baby-food jars to hold spices. Stash them in a drawer upside down so this recycling trick looks sleek, not cheap.

2 Store all your instruction manuals in one binder in the kitchen or pantry.

3 Collect your takeout menus in a binder. Or stuff them into a Ziploc bag and stash 'em – where else? – in the fridge or cupboard.

4 Use a cardboard six-pack container to carry condiments from kitchen to deck in BBQ-casual style.

5 Keep a tray or basket on the kitchen counter where kids can drop off permission slips and adults can put mail requiring immediate action. A second tray can handle lower-priority paperwork.

6 Don’t waste time constantly topping up cereal-sized food storage containers with dog or cat kibble. Use a metal trashcan to store one bag at a time in rodent-proof style.

7 Use a recharging station to keep your cell phone, MP3 player and other portable device cords untangled and your gadgets fully charged.

28 Store batteries in plastic berry baskets until you’re ready to drop them off at the recycling centre.

29 Ditto for compact fluorescent bulbs and orchard fruit baskets.

30 Big, busy family? Paint one entire wall in your mudroom in chalkboard paint so everyone can easily leave messages for one another.

31 Keep one basket per person in your mudroom or front entrance, so everyone knows where to drop off/find their personal on-the-go essentials like keys, bags, homework etc.

32 Designate a back-to-car zone by your entranceway, and put anything there that requires returning to the trunk – i.e. reusable grocery bags, empties – so the next person to use the car will remember to bring them.

33 Remove the front and back from a picture frame and string rows of wire across the centre. Hang it or lean it against the wall and hook earrings onto each wire.

45 For preschoolers too young to use hangers with ease, install a low bar in the closet and simply drape dresses and pants across it to keep them wrinkle-free and easily accessible.

46 Have your child plan their wardrobe one school week at a time. Store outfits within five stacking cubbies or on five combination hangers (hangers with a bar and clips to hold pants as well as a top) to streamline their morning routine.

47 Keep sheet sets organized by folding and storing the fitted sheet, flat sheet and pillowcase inside the second pillowcase.

48 If you don’t want to buy stacking shoeboxes, recycle the cardboard boxes your shoes came in by cutting out a panel at one end for visibility and ventilation.

73 Hold onto paint chips, fabric swatches and brochures from your last redecorating session. You never know when you’ll need to reference them. Store them in an accordion file.

74 On your mudroom wall, hammer in two nails, then string wire between them. Provide clothes pegs and have your kids hang their wet mittens and gloves to dry overnight.

75 Banish tiny piles of coins and start saving in style. Get a designer piggy bank and keep it by the entranceway, laundry or kitchen—wherever you’d like to dump your change.

76 Tired of that circa-90s cast-iron pot rack? Move it from the kitchen to the garage or potting shed and use it to keep garden tools organized.

77 Get – and use – a garden hose caddy.

78 Edit your hangers. Choose: wire, plastic or wood and unify the hangers in every closet.

79 Use pillboxes to stash your earrings and rings when traveling.

80 Use a soda-can dispenser in the fridge so you can access your pop easily without tipping.

81 Use a wall-mounted broom and mop holder, or tie ribbon loops on the end of poles and hang them from hooks in your closet, garage or utility closet.

82 Make a party kit. Stash napkins, extra glassware and plates, votive candles and holders, extra vases, cocktail picks and other necessities in an old wine crate and pull it out pre-party or pre-holiday entertaining so you don’t waste valuable cupboard space.

83 Use a binder to store all medical records and information for everyone in your family, including each pet. Use dividers for each family member and include plastic pouches or expandable pockets to contain receipts and tiny record cards.

96 Mount a magnetized knife rack to a wall in your utility closet or basement, to keep your most commonly used screwdrivers and wrenches handy, not buried in the toolbox.

97 Donate your battery-powered emergency flashlights and stock up on windup models so you never have to worry about replacing batteries.

98 Stop stressing over the emergency preparedness kit the Canadian government recommends all families have. Just make one and get on with your life. Visit getprepared.ca to learn what to put in it. Stash it in a rolling suitcase so it’s mobile in case you have to be, too.

99 Plan a closet clean-out once per season. Less mess makes staying organized a lot easier.